TexSelect 2018 hat-trick for WSA Knitwear and Print Students

Beth Porter

Every year the organisation TexSelect selects 24 of the best textile graduates from around the UK. The selected students are given the opportunity to showcase their work to leading industry professionals at the Preview Show in London (July) and then at PV Designs in Paris (September). TexSelect interview over 200 students via a panel of industry specialists to find the 24 graduates to represent UK talent and future textiles. This year three WSA students made the cut – Jessye Boulton (Knitwear), Cassie MacDonald (Printed Textiles) and Beth Porter (Printed Textiles).

Jessye Boulton

As part of the experience there are numerous awards judged by industry with the winners announced in Paris. This year Jessye Boulton was shortlisted for the TexSelect Fashion Prize and Cassie MacDonald was shortlisted for the TexSelect Pattern Prize sponsored by Liberty London.

Cassie MacDonald

You can read more about the London Preview here
Congratulations and good luck!

Samson Soboye/WSA Collaboration

A selection of Year 2 Knitwear for Fashion student work went on sale in Soboye’s Shoreditch based boutique during London Fashion Week last week and at the Colour Walk exhibition at Old Spitalfields Market, London.

WSA Fashion Design Students Shortlisted for Diversity Now Competition

Three second year Fashion Design students have been shortlisted for the All Walks Catwalk, Diversity Now competition. Congratulations to Ning Kang, Abigail Skrentny and Holly Baxter!Abigail Skrentny Holly Baxter

Ning Kang

All Walks & Artsthread Diversity NOW Competition

Five Year 2 Fashion Design students have been nominated for the internationally renowned All Walks Beyond the Catwalk competition Diversity NOW in association with i-D magazine.

The competition is a perfect link with the Fashion Design Pathway’s vision of a fashion future, which, as the All Walks organisation states, “empowers and emboldens the viewer and the wearer, envisioning impactful, emotionally considerate, commercially relevant practice in all areas of the industry.”
The nominated students all answered the brief by using their design to “step beyond stereotypes, redefine boundaries and celebrate a wider range of beauty and body ideals in age, size, gender, race and physical ability.”

Becky Chandler

The following words by nominee Becky Chandler (left) offer an insightful summary to students thinking behind their design “The current Fashion industry is over saturated with models who emote a similar look and personality. Magazines process the same kind of person in every page. The lack of diversity is noticeable.” Becky continues “The industry is supposedly about role models and personality, but how can we aspire to be someone we have no common threads with?”
Abigail Skrentny
Ning KangNing Kang (image above), Becky Chandler and Abigail Skrentny (line-up above) were nominated in the Design category and Holly Baxter (bottom image) and Chiara Bradfield (image below) were nominated in the Illustration category. GOOD LUCK to them all!

Chiara Bradfield Holly Baxter

Reminder: Silk Bureau Student Competition – Deadline tomorrow!

Digital printing company Silk Bureau are running a student INTERIOR DESIGN Competition. https://www.silkbureau.co.uk/student_page/

Open to all students in 2016-17 Academic Year

Surface Pattern
Interior Design
Furniture Design
Textile Design
Graphic Design

We have been really impressed with the standard that graduating students presented at the 2016 New Designers event. From fashion to interiors the students surpassed themselves with innovative design. We were so proud to have played such a huge part in their success story by printing their designs on our extensive fabric range.

Our latest student competition has been based on one of our finds from the show.

Aim: Create a design for a statement piece of furniture to showcase at the Silk Bureau.

Brief: Design a seamless repeat pattern to be used for upholstery. The design should reflect the Silk Bureau as a digital textile printing specialist. The design should be dramatic and provide a ‘wow’ factor for visitors on entry to our premises.

Resources: www.silkbureau.co.uk www.facebook.com/thesilkbureaultd/

Specifications: Repeat pattern. TIFF file format. 180 – 300 dpi. Flattened. RGB. Contact us on 01386 861122 for the link to upload your completed file. Deadline: 9th December 2016. All entries will be printed on 12th December 2016 and the winner will be announced 9th January 2017. All entries must be accompanied with an order form clearly headed ‘Student Competition – Interiors 2016’

Winner: The winning design will be printed on Poly Canvas and used to re-upholster seating displayed in the reception area at The Silk Bureau Ltd. (Furniture supplied by the Silk Bureau Ltd) The winner will be invited to visit the Silk Bureau and see the processes involved in digital fabric printing. The winner will receive 5m (worth over £140) of the design printed on Poly Canvas, selected for the upholstery project. The winner will be promoted on our website and social media.

ÂŁ25 entry fee. Includes 1m of your design printed on Poly Canvas (normal cost over ÂŁ46) and return postage.

winner will be promoted on our website and social media.

Interiors Competition 2016 – Terms & Conditions

  1. All entries must be submitted with a completed order form clearly headed ‘Student Competition – Interiors 2016’ . These will then be known as the ‘Entrants’.
  2. Entry is only open to current students in the 2016 – 2017 academic year and MUST be accompanied with a copy of their Student ID.
  3. All artwork submitted MUST be print ready.
  4. The Silk Bureau Limited will not make any amendments to Entrants’ original files.
  5. A pro forma invoice will be raised within 7 days of submitting the competition order form.
  6. The entry fee of £25 must be paid upon receipt of the invoice and is non – refundable
  7. Entry fees include 1m of Polyester Canvas printed with the Entrant’s print ready artwork and delivery with in the UK only.
  8. Additional postal charges will be applied to Entrants outside of the UK postal area.
  9. All artwork being entered into the competition will be printed on 12th December 2016 and despatched with 7 working days to an address with in the UK.
  10. The Silk Bureau Limited reserve the right to change the fabric without notice to an alternative also considered to be appropriate for upholstery.
  11. The Silk Bureau Limited reserve the right to refuse an order and/or competition entry.
  12. Entries will not be accepted after the closing date. 9th December 2016
  13. The Silk Bureau Judges will make the final decision and will not enter into any discussion regarding the result.
  14. The Winner will be selected on 14th December 2016 and announced by 16th December 2016. The Winner will be notified by email and/or phone call.
  15. The Silk Bureau Limited reserve the right to publish details of the Winner and winning entry for marketing purposes pertaining to The Silk Bureau Limited.
  16. The Winner will be invited to visit The Silk Bureau Limited at their Evesham premises from 10:30 to 16:00 on an agreeable date to suit both the Winner and The Silk Bureau Limited. Expenses and arrangements incurred by the Winner i.e. travel, is not included.
  17. The Winner will be entitled to an additional 5m of fabric suitable for upholstery as chosen by The Silk Bureau Limited.
  18. The award is not transferable to any other party. There is no cash alternative.
  19. The Silk Bureau Limited reserves the right to cancel or amend the Competition or the rules without notice.

Disclaimer
Any irregularities and variations in the weave of our fabrics are in NO way to be considered as defects. They are a characteristic of a natural fibre.
It is important to allow for shrinkage. Shrinkage can be up to 10% on most fabrics, however for stretch fabrics it can be up to 20%. Short runs shrink more than longer runs pro rata; however this is not a precise science. Shrinkage can vary from one batch of fabric to another.
The natural shade of fabric may vary from roll to roll and is a circumstance beyond our control.
Please examine the fabrics carefully before processing. Direct or indirect claims for any reason whatsoever will not be accepted once the customer, or any party acting upon their instruction, has cut, or processed the fabric in any way.
Claims for any defects, or shortages, must be made in writing within seven days of delivery of the fabric.
Fabric specifications given are as accurate as possible to allow for printing of images. Rolls of natural fabric may vary in size between batches, so selvedge to selvedge dimensions are not provided. Selvedge areas may not be printed on.
Colours depicted on screen and colours actually printed may vary due to the nature of fabric/textile printing and the variation of individual monitor displays.

WSA Knitwear for Fashion Student Prize Winners at the Campaign for Wool Competition

Two Knitwear students, Zoe Lyne and Jessye Boulton won prize’s at the Campaign for Wool Student Hand Knit Competiton held at Artworkers Guild Hall in London during Wool Week.

The students responded to a competition brief created by Marie Wallin. Students were asked to design a series of fashion garments hand-knitted in 100% wool, or wool-rich, [more than 51% real wool] that displayed sculptural form using cabling and 3D knitting techniques in a palette which celebrated the colours of a British Autumn. Students were encouraged to incorporate other handcraft techniques such as crochet, macramé, tatting and felting. The brief asked for an exploration of scale as a means to create drama and complexity.

Sixteen final entries were judged during Wool Week by Marie Wallin, Bridgette Kelly of The Campaign for Wool Ltd, Wendy Barker ofKingston University and Polly Leonard, Founder and Editor of Selvedge Magazine who awarded a special prize to her overall preferred entry.

The second prize of ÂŁ300 was awarded to Jessye Boulton from Winchester School of Art, another first-year undergraduate student. “Jessye’s design was a wonderful blend of multi-coloured yarns knitted into a collection bullion knots, creating a dramatic and eye-catching, almost carpet-like in its structure and very impressive as a garment.”

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Using the colours of Autumn as her starting point Jessye created a highly textured garment using Spring stitch to mimic the natural complexity of the forest floor and to celebrate the quality of the pure wool yarns she used.  Jessye secured yarn sponsorship from Cornish Organic Wool and LoveKnitting.com which enabled her to create a dense and luscious final piece.

A special award of a 3-year subscription to Selvedge Magazine was given to Zoe Lyne of Winchester School of Art. Polly Leonard, the editor of Selvedge Magazine was instantly drawn to this “dramatic design of a mass of crochet tubes worked into a very imaginative wearable neckpiece or collar.”

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Zoe was inspired by the notion of an organic shape engulfing the wearer for her design.  Imagining knitwear as an extension of the body Zoe constructed the garment to obscure the face with a series of sculptural tube-like forms that form the collar.

The garment was hand-knitted in natural undyed British and Merino wool specifically to subtly draw attention to the natural irregularities in the yarn. Constructing the sculptural collar in Dartmoor lambswool, supplied by Lily Warne Wool, was a nod to Zoe’s Devon heritage.

Congratulations to Jessye and Zoe!

IDENTITY AND DESIRE – LEVI’S X ARTS THREAD DESIGN COMPETITION 2017

An excellent competition has just launched with Levi’s x Arts Thread. Read the details below and consider entering!

PRIZE: A paid 10 week Design internship at Levi’s San Francisco Headquarters in summer 2016. As part of the internship you’ll get work with the best denim experts on the planet, and visit the legendary Levi’s Archive and the Eureka Innovation Lab.

THE BRIEF

One of the most important roles of Design is to create an identity and a clear product aesthetic that reflects and amplifies the character of the brand. As designers, we create identity and desire. We create value by creating newness, emotional story-driven products that, like our old 501’s, become coveted collectors’ items of the future.

The concept behind Levi’s¼ Made & Crafted¼ builds on the legacy of the Levi’s brand, its authenticity, its soul, and project that into the future using today’s best materials and construction techniques. Quality and thoughtfulness is what’s luxury today. It’s the special things beyond just the price tag.

Made & Crafted also formed the basis of a collaboration between Made & Crafted and Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh for a new Fall/Winter 2016 collection, which debuted on the Paris catwalks earlier this year, and again for his 2017 Resort collection this June. It went so well that Virgil came back to our Eureka Innovation Lab and our Made & Crafted team, to design a special 100-piece limited edition “Made-in-Eureka Levi’s Made & Crafted x Off-White” collection.

Write a manifesto. We want to see what your Made & Crafted stands for. How do you take what Made & Crafted looks like today and push it into the future? What makes it different and yet undisputedly Levi’s¼? How would you describe it to a friend?

Create the future of your Made & CraftedÂź world.

DELIVERABLES

Entries Must Include:

1. Trend Report – Trend is about understanding human nature. The changes in people’s values and expectations. We’d like you to join dots between macro, retail, catwalk, street trends–– and how they have influenced your design.

2. The Tribe – describe the type of person this collection is aimed at. What do they like/do? Bring them to life – a combination of words and pictures.

3. The Made & Crafted Identity: Show the visual identity for the brand. Do this anyway you like – for instance
What does packaging look like? Hang tags, pocket flashers, bags? Was does a store look like? Physical, Online? Create the ecosystem, the Made & Crafted world. The experience.

4. Design drawings: 4 – 8 outfits. Men’s, Women’s, unisex – any combination. We’ll leave the genders up to you.

*Your submission images must be in JPEG format with maximum size of 5MB per image.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Open to anyone worldwide over who is –

  • enrolled in a Fashion Design program with an accredited college/university.
  • graduating between September 2017 – June 2018.

ENTRY: Free to enter

DEADLINE: November 30 2016 MIDNIGHT EST

LINK TO ENTER: IDENTITY AND DESIRE – LEVI’S X ARTS THREAD DESIGN COMPETITION 2017

See Fashion Design Competition

See Fashion Designer Brief

Deadline: 17th June 2016

For more details: http://seefashion.co.uk/designercompetition/

 

ARTS THREAD EASTPAK ARTIST STUDIO WILDCARD COMPETITION

Your chance to mix it with some of the biggest names in design!

Want to sit alongside ten of the world’s most celebrated designers and artists, such as Jean-Paul Gaultier and Manolo Blahnik? Want to be part of a ground-breaking project that could just be the launch pad for your career? This is your chance to unleash your creative energy and carry your ambition to the edge.

Together with Designers Against Aids and Arts Thread, Eastpak is giving young design students and graduates the opportunity to win a wildcard entry to the Eastpak Artist Studio(EAST) along with a production budget to turn your winning design into reality.

Watch the 3 finalists from the last edition talk about their work & hear about the work ofWinner KRJST

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Who can Enter:

Location: International – from any country.

Experience/age: Open to all students and recent graduates of Fashion or Textile Design, provided they are not yet full-time employed in the industry and graduated after summer 2013.

How to Enter:

Already got an ARTS THREAD portfolio? To enter, simply log into your account, upload your design as a new project, return to this page and select your project into the Competition box above.

New to ARTS THREAD? To enter, register to create an ARTS THREAD account and go to your email and click on the activation link sent to your email Inbox. Then log into your account, upload your project, then return to this page and select your project into the Competition box above.

Please ensure you have read the Terms & Conditions for Eastpak Artist Studio Wildcard Competition

Entry: Free

Deadline: June 30 MIDNIGHT GMT

Prize: The winner of the Wildcard Competition will receive a place alongside some of the world’s most renowned fashion designers, such as Jean-Paul Gaultier, at the Eastpak Artist Studio, with all the prestige and publicity that entails.

The winning design will be integrated in the project’s communication platform and exhibited at the international finissage around World Aids Day, December 1st 2016. The designer’s creation will be sold at auction and all proceeds donated to the charity organisation Designers Against Aids.

Each finalist will receive an Eastpak travel gear package valued at €300.

Participants must come up with an original design for transforming a blank Eastpak Padded Pak’r¼ backpack into a unique work of art.

Anything goes: you can redecorate, recover, reconstruct or even reinvent the bag, provided the Eastpak Artist Studio logo remains intact and visible.

Download the Eastpak Padded Pak’r¼ backpack technical drawings with Eastpak Artist Studio logo

Entries Must Include:

1 – A mood board illustrating the inspiration behind the design

2 – Sketches of the design itself

3 – Full technical specifications (materials, dimensions, etc.)

Further details here http://www.artsthread.com/competitions/eastpakartiststudiowildcardcompetition/

Melissa Ougham wins Wallpaper Prize from Colefax and Fowler

Last week Sarah Macgregor, Design Director from Colefax and Fowler visited the exhibtion of wallpaper designed by Printed Textiles students and created in their second year. Melissa Ougham’s space inspired wallpaper caught Sarah Macgregor’s eye for it’s bold style and movement. Melissa won ÂŁ200 and a selection of books. Congratulations!

Melissa Ougham Wallpaper